A few pregnancy stories

Cora Jane is here!

I went into labor early on Saturday morning (just past midnight). If you know me, you know that I am a to-do lister. On Friday, I had several items that I still needed to check off of my work to-do list before I went on auto pilot for a few weeks. I finished all of those tasks.

I also wanted to get our back deck cleaned up in anticipation of visitors. So on Friday starting around 6PM, I tackled the back deck. I scrubbed down porch cushions with bleach, bleached all of the wrought iron, scrubbed the screens and the door... Landon of course was in on the action too with the leaf blower attacking our gutters. I guess I was such a site that even the neighbor was standing at the back fence laughing at us. I was in labor - I just didn't know it yet.

But there was something I didn't get finished: I wanted to add a blog post with a few pregnancy pics. When I woke up at 12:50 AM having contractions (story to follow), I started out trying to do it in between contractions...

A few notes and stories from pregnancy.

New Year's Eve in Atlanta for the Peach Bowl. I was so cold that I pulled Landon's coveralls out of the back of the car. On the way home on Jan 1st we stopped to get Chinese good. It was strange that I vomited after eating Chinese food, and just as strange that I could not hold my eyes open on the way home... but it didn't cross my mind that anything was up.
We spent Christmas in Kentucky this year. Nelson and Betsy Gullett made a special trip out to the house on Christmas day. The reason: they came to announce their pregnancy to our family. When Nelson & Betsy announced their news to the living room, Landon proclaimed, "That's awesome! Our kids will grow up together!" Grandma Iris's face lit up. I had to do damage control by screaming, "We AREN'T pregnant!!!" Little did I know...

We had a couple of weekends at home of just Landon and I before the baby was due. We were so excited for Cora to get here, but we were also a bit nostalgic. On Friday night, Landon, I, and Pearl sat on the couch for hours during a thunderstorm trying to acclamate Pearl to thunder. On Sunday morning, when it started storming again, Pearl ran to the back door, went out and sat on the couch waiting for us to join her. Very peaceful weekend.

sitting on Landon's tailgate at Ye Ole' Ice Cream Shop. Our last "completely us as a couple, no guests, and baby's not coming weekend"...

Julie came to town for Good Friday with Ellie & Tennent. We love these kids! Ellie made my day by going to work with me on Good Friday. She went to my class, we had breakfast with some of my students, we toured a sorority house - I LOVED having her with me!

Easter Sunday. I thought I looked SO pregnant in this photo. I was absolutely dying for my baby bump to show. Landon's Uncle Thane & Aunt Paula have been in town for Easter the last two years. We always have the best time with them that weekend - it gives us a little taste of family and really makes it feel like a holiday. I hope that that is a tradition that continues.

With our birth class. Lin Cook, the instructor, is also in the second picture.

My Schottland Scholars graduate gave me this present at their graduation brunch. They were my favorite part of my job last year! What a great group of students.
My feet from the 2010 trip with the Schottland Scholars. 3 weeks before my due date. They've already gone back down.

Matt flew in the weekend before Cora was born in order to purchase this car. What a great day! We spent all day driving around trying to find country roads. Of course, he wouldn't go very fast with me and the "baby" in the car with him. I wanted him to really hammer it. I suspect that he and Landon had a little more fun when I wasn't in the car.

I sometimes get up and make pancakes for Landon for breakfast before he goes to work at 5AM. I cut hearts in these pancakes. It makes up for the fact that I make the worst eggs ever.
Landon & Tracy's 30th Birthday party. Somehow I ended up with a whole wedge of watermelon for myself...

Our new mommy-mobile! Coincidentally, this is the first night I had braxton-hicks. We were at the Family Cup Tennis Tourney with Trevor & Tracey. I kept walking around saying, "MY belly is so hard!" It wasn't until several weeks later that I learned that what I was feeling was Braxton-Hicks contractions. I went back to my calendar and realized that I was only 17 weeks pregnant at that tournament, which is really early to start feeling them.

Did I mention that I REALLY liked watermelon while pregnant?

A few belly shots. I have no clue how pregnant I was when this was taken - I think it was Whitney's graduation party, so that would have been the first week in May. Again, I thought I was SO pregnant...

Another belly shot. This one was the second week in July.
Dad took this at Oak Island the second week in July.

Another belly shot... maybe the first week in July? When I was teaching MBA boot camp.

Not sure when this was taken... but again, I thought I was SO pregnant. I would go to work and have Sabrina, our administrative assistant, check out my belly. She would just say, "You're gettin there".
Heading out to do some grocery shopping - maybe about 3 weeks before Cora arrived?
On the Thursday before Cora was born. I'm pretty sure I looked pregnant at this point!